Every week they descend on the city from big ships, thousands of visitors who only have eight hours to sample the pleasures of Mazatlán. We decided to find out who they are, what they like or dislike about this city, and how Mazatlán compares to other cruise destinations. We found out that cruisers very definitely prefer Mazatlán as a port of call. Only one of the visitors we polled said Cabo San Lucas was their favorite port: all the others were enthusiastic about Maz-atlán. Many, like Tim, Angie, Pete, and “Jill The Thrill” from Phoenix mentioned the air of history and reality here, compared to the “prefab” feel of Cabo and Vallarta. Other visitors, like Eric and Alicia of Seattle, appreciated the less commercial feel of the town. But another factor often mentioned is the friendliness and warmth of local people. Several people cited nice waiters, tour guides, and beachgoers, but Lou and Caitlin, from Los Angeles, topped the “friendly poll” with a story of a man who chased them several blocks in the Golden Zone to return the camera bag that had fallen off their rented scooter. Another thing cruisers enjoy in Mazatlán is just plain simple fun: like beer, shrimp and balloons on your head. Jill “The Thrill” summed it up when she yelled, “Sr. Frogs ROCKS!” Good food is apparently a major Maz export. And food at a good price, many quickly point out. Everybody was impressed by how much further their dollar went in Mazatlán. And not just for food and drink. Shopping was a major pastime of most visitors and they like what they saw and the prices charged. Nikki, Cathie, and Liberty, a bunch of cute gringas from Phoenix, spent their entire visit on a deepsea fishing expedition. The fish weren’t biting, but they cheered up when back on shore buying lunch and handicrafts. Liberty said, “things are just so much cheaper here.” Although the majority found Mazatlán uniformly wonderful (like Angelenos David and Lois, who exclaimed, “What’s not to like here? It’s ALL good!”) some